Come Back to Me
by Pennilyn Novus
Summary: Five meetings with Harry Potter. He never stays long, but he always leaves with the promise that he'll come back in the end. And all Ginny can do is wait for the end to come. FINAL CHAPTER POSTED
1. Reunion

**A/N: Harry Potter and his whole world belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her characters for a while.**

**This story is in response to a reader's request that I write something 'fluffy'. Enjoy!**

I. Reunion

Ginny glanced up from the latest _Daily Prophet_, shaking her head in disgust. She tossed it onto the kitchen table and sighed.

"Bloody reporters are trying to get him killed," she grumbled as she picked up her fork and pushed her cold eggs around on her plate.

"What was that, dear?" her mother asked, not looking up from the laundry she was folding.

"Nothing," Ginny sighed, spearing a piece of sausage on the end of her fork. Her fingers itched to grab up her wand and burn the wretched periodical like the piece of trash it was. Imagine, keeping tabs on _Harry Potter Sightings_. The idiots at the _Prophet_ might as well paint a bulls-eye on the back of Harry's head. Not that there was any substance to the reporting. Harry, she knew, was stuck at his relatives' house, but at least Ron and Hermione were with him. Ron had written that they'd be arriving soon for the wedding, and Ginny was simultaneously relieved that she'd have company and get to see her brother and friends again, and nervous about seeing Harry after so long.

Fleur's throaty laughter coming down the stairs caused her to drop her fork with a clatter. She was halfway out of her chair before she remembered to ask, "May I be excused, please?" Without waiting for an answer, she darted out the door, praying her future sister-in-law hadn't seen her.

The very last thing in the world she wanted to do this morning was sit and listen to Fleur prattle on about the flowers, or the food, or the seating arrangements for her wedding. Her mother may have accepted Fleur, but Ginny just couldn't do it. Something about the older girl's voice, perhaps her attitude, grated on Ginny.

She took a running leap and landed in the tire swing that Harry had built last summer. Spinning lazily, Ginny repositioned herself and leaned back, watching the tree branches, leaves, and bits of sunny blue sky twirl overhead. Harry had discovered the tire (a spare from the old Anglia) and the length of thick rope in her father's shed, and spent an afternoon assembling and testing the swing, before he allowed any of the others to have a go on it. Ginny swung her legs around, making the tire spin faster and faster, until she had to close her eyes against dizziness. Gradually, the swing spun to a slow stop, and Ginny leaned her chin against the warm rubber, looking back at the house.

Three sharp pops in quick succession startled Ginny. She tumbled backwards off the swing and landed on her bum in the grass. She scrambled to her feet, pulling her wand from her hair, where she'd used it to hold her bun.

She choked out a laugh as she stared at the source of the noise. Ron and Hermione, holding up a slightly dazed looking Harry, stood halfway down the drive, blinking at the sudden brightness of the sunlit morning. Harry grinned at his mates and hitched his broom over his shoulder. None of them appeared to notice her standing in the shadows under the large oak.

Before she could think about what she was doing, Ginny charged out from under the tree and down the drive leading away from the Burrow, her legs pumping hard and fast, her breath caught in her throat. The bright morning sunlight glowed on Harry; he looked like a dark angel, with a faint aura surrounding him. Her brother and Hermione called their greetings, but seeing the look on her face, quickly stepped out of the way. Harry dropped his broom and his trunk and took a small step back, an uncertain look on his face.

Stopping just short of him, Ginny stood, her chest heaving with choked breaths. Harry just looked at her, and she could see the longing in his eyes, and the way he bit his lower lip thoughtfully.

"Hello, Ginny," he said at last.

She watched his lips move with those two simple words, and then she closed her eyes, savoring the sound of his voice. "Hello, Harry," she answered, opening her eyes and meeting his forcefully.

"How – how are you?" he said, obviously fumbling for something to say.

With a wry grin, Ginny closed the distance between them, coming to a halt with her body just inches from his. She could feel his heat rising off his body, and wondered if he could feel hers, as well. She continued her search of Harry's eyes, feeling herself becoming lost in the depths of green. He seemed equally captivated with her, and Ginny noticed as he licked his lips nervously. With what seemed to be incredible effort, he tore his eyes away and glanced down at his hands, which Ginny noticed were shaking slightly.

"Better now," Ginny answered honestly, too caught up to worry about what she was saying.

"Me too," he answered, looking up shyly.

Ron cleared his throat and said loudly, "Er, let's go say hello to Mum; what do you say, Hermione?"

Ginny didn't catch the answer; she was far too busy memorizing the lines of Harry's smile.

Harry glanced at his feet, running a trembling hand through his mane of unruly black hair. "Ginny," he started, his voice full of resolve. "I –"

With an unintelligible cry, Ginny launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down. She smashed her lips to his, tasting blood as their teeth bumped. He exhaled in surprise, or maybe it was relief, and put his arms around her, his lips moving against hers. He opened his mouth slightly and Ginny responded at once, feeling his firm tongue brush hers eagerly.

"Harry…" she murmured as he pulled away and began to rain kisses on her cheeks and forehead.

"Hmm?" he hummed dreamily as he planted a kiss on the freckle on the tip of her nose.

"I've missed you," she gasped, taking his face into her hands and pulling his lips down to hers again. He made a noise of agreement and ran his hands up and down her back, making her shiver with delight.

"I've missed you, too," he whispered, giving her one last gentle kiss. He stooped and wrapped his arms around her again, lifting her feet from the dirt path. Ginny wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pressing her cheek against his. They'd been apart nearly a month and at the moment, Ginny wanted to be as close to him as humanly possible. She never wanted to be that far from him again.

"Are you done being a noble prat?" she asked, playing with the short black hair on back of his neck.

Harry made another affirmative noise, apparently unable to talk. Ginny heard him sniffle and pulled back to look at his face. His eyes looked suspiciously watery, and he sniffled again. "I'm done being a noble prat," he repeated back to her. "I figured it out about two minutes after I got to Privet Drive. I'm so sorry," he whispered, looking apologetically into her eyes once more.

Ginny gave him a forgiving smile. "It's okay, Harry. At least you figured it out."

"Take me back?" he asked, smiling hopefully.

"Do you really need to ask?"

His eyes lit up and he grinned that toothy smile that always made her knees weak, and brought his lips down on hers again. Between kisses, he murmured, "You're brilliant."

She grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the Burrow. "Let me show you just how brilliant I am," she retorted, thinking of that perfect spot by the pond, under the tree with the rope swing that hung over the water.

Harry's eyes lit up. He stopped to grab his broom and then allowed her to lead him into the copse of trees, and the pond that lay just beyond.

Several minutes of breathless snogging and one water fight later, Harry pulled her out of the pond, water streaming off his soaked clothing. Ginny pushed her dripping hair out of her eyes, watching the way the sunlight sparkled off the droplets of water on his upper lip. She leaned forward and kissed him softly. He tasted like rain and fresh air.

"Welcome home, Harry," she sighed, draping her arms around his neck and leaning into his chest.

He tensed ever so slightly and Ginny looked up, seeing him staring out across the pond. Something in his eyes scared her.

"You're not staying," she said accusingly, taking a step back.

He shook his head, not looking at her.

"Why?"

His shoulders slumped and he sat down on the ground, his clothes making a quiet squishing noise. "I told you why, at Dumbledore's…funeral."

"You've got things to do," she said, thinking back to that awful day.

"Yeah."

Ginny dropped to her knees beside him, suddenly feeling ill. "How long?"

"I'm leaving after the wedding."

Ginny shook her head. "No, I mean, how long will you be gone?"

Harry didn't say anything for a moment, and then looked at her, the green in his eyes especially vibrant. "I don't know," he answered. "You're not going to fight me on this?"

"I told you…at the funeral…that I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. I still understand that, Harry. Just…come back to me," she ended in a miserable whisper, feeling tears pricking at her eyes.

Harry exhaled heavily, and Ginny couldn't tell if he was laughing or trying not to cry. Without a word, he snaked his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. She could feel his skin burning against hers, in spite of the wet clothes. When he kissed her, she felt his lips trembling, and when he opened his eyes to look at her, his eyes were filled with gratitude…and something else that Ginny couldn't bear to think on.

"I'll always come back to you," he answered, planting a kiss on her forehead and pulling her close.

Ginny closed her eyes and prayed he was right.


	2. A Remarkable Birthday

**A/N: Harry Potter and his whole world belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her characters for a while.**

II. A Remarkable Birthday

The quiet noise of her door locking woke Ginny. Her eyes flew open and she tensed, slowly easing her hand under her pillow for her wand. The sky outside was dark, and the clock beside the bed said it was a little past two in the morning. Her curtains flapped lazily in a soft breeze and in the distance, she thought she heard a rumble of thunder.

Carefully, she slid her wand out, clenching it tightly in her fist. She cursed herself for not wearing more than a simple t-shirt to sleep in. It would make the coming confrontation all the more surreal. Her mind went into overdrive – What had happened to the rest of her family? Why was she not hearing resistance through the rest of the house? Or maybe… Ginny suppressed a shudder… Maybe they were only after her.

Barely breathing, she focused on her plan. Stupefy and flee…

Something made her stop, though. Her skin felt like tiny shocks were exploding from her pores, and there was just – something – in the air that relieved a bit of her tension. Her ears strained for noise and she was rewarded when she heard the gentle rustle of the Invisibility Cloak dropping onto her bedroom floor. Harry was back.

"Ginny, you awake?" he whispered.

She exhaled explosively, her tense limbs reduced to jelly. "Yeah," she managed shakily.

As he slid into the bed next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, she laced her fingers through his and said, "You scared the bloody hell out of me."

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said with consternation.

Almost giddy with relief, Ginny quietly laughed, "You're lucky I didn't hex your bits off."

"Good thing for you," Harry answered saucily as he nuzzled her neck. "How would I be able to give you your birthday present if you did that?"

"Harry Potter!" she exclaimed in mock indignation. "You think you can just sneak in here and –"

Harry rolled her over in his arms and kissed her gently, slowly kissing first her bottom lip, then the top, before pressing his lips fully against hers, moving them slowly, seductively, sweetly.

"No," he answered, touching her cheek lightly. "I don't think that at all."

Before, when Ginny might have squirmed under his intense scrutiny, now she smiled shakily and gazed back, trying to count the number of hairs that fell across his forehead, covering his scar.

"You came back," Ginny said into the lengthening silence, feeling her lower lip quivering.

"I told you I would," he replied softly, running his fingers through her hair. "Didn't you believe me?"

Ginny frowned, realizing it sounded as though she'd doubted him. "I believed you wanted to," she said honestly. She rushed on, unable to stop herself. "I'm just so scared for you, and not knowing –"

Harry put a finger to her lips, shaking his head slightly. "Don't do that," he chastised her lightly. "I'm fine. Don't worry. I'm being very careful. I want to make sure I come back in one piece to you. Let's just not think about it," he said, kissing her tenderly. "It's your birthday, after all."

Ginny struggled with herself, wanting so badly to flare up, to argue with him, to tell him in no uncertain terms was he going to be able to shut her up that easily. But then, something in the back of her head reminded her that she had very limited time with Harry, and did she really want to spend it yelling at him? She sighed. "Alright, Harry."

With a smile, Harry propped himself up on his elbow and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, carefully wrapped box. "Happy Birthday, Ginny," he said quietly, holding out the present.

Ginny sat up, accepting the small package. She shook it gently, holding it up to her ear. "It's a broom," she guessed, jokingly. Harry smiled and shook his head.

"A dragon?"

Harry laughed. "Open it!" he said, practically bouncing on the bed.

Not needing to be told twice, Ginny tore off the paper and opened the box. A small glass ball the size of a gobstone rolled out onto her palm. She looked up at Harry quizzically and lifted it on its pale silver chain, bringing it closer to her eyes. She saw now that the glass ball was wrapped at its circumference by a thin band of the same silvery metal, which in turn was attached to the chain by a delicate looking link.

"What is this?" Ginny asked at last, noting that the glass ball rolled freely within the confines of the silver band.

Harry smiled proudly and closed his hand around the glass ball. "_Aperio Amor!" _he said quietly. For a moment, a brilliant, multicolored light poured from between his fingers and when he opened his hand to show the necklace, Ginny gasped.

With tears in her eyes, she gazed, transfixed, at the swirl of indescribably beautiful colors. With her heart in her throat, Ginny whispered, "That's lovely." She looked up at Harry. "Where did you find this?"

"Doesn't matter," Harry answered in a casually offhand manner that made Ginny think he had spent a good deal of time looking for this present. "Do you like it?"

"Harry!" Ginny cried quietly, shocked. "I love this! Is this really what –" She choked off, her throat too tight to continue.

"What my love for you looks like," Harry finished, taking the necklace and draping it around her neck. He fastened the clasp as she put her hand to her chest where the amulet rested, gasping again.

"It _feels_ lovely," she said quietly, raising her eyes to meet Harry's. He smiled shyly and leaned forward, touching her cheek.

"You're lovely," he smiled.

With a squeak, Ginny lunged forward, knocking Harry onto his back. He laughed as she peppered his face and neck with rapid, hot little kisses. He reached up and stroked her cheek again, pushing strands of red hair out of her face, and Ginny paused, taking in his face.

"I love you," he whispered. He smiled slightly and then pulled her face down to his, kissing her softly.

"I know," she answered cheekily. She squealed quietly as Harry rolled them over and pinned her beneath his body. "I love you, too," she told him as she ran her hands up his back beneath his shirt.

His eyes went unfocused for a minute and Ginny felt him take a shuddering breath. She also felt…something else…pressing against her thigh. With a wicked smile, she shifted her leg slightly, rubbing against him. His eyes fluttered shut for a minute, a goofy smile twitching across his lips.

"Evil woman," he groaned as she did it again.

"Let me show you just how evil," Ginny said with a naughty smirk. She tugged at his shirt, trying to lift it over his head, and Harry assisted her, practically ripping it off and throwing it onto the floor.

"Your turn." Harry slid his hand down to find the bottom of her t-shirt, his fingers skimming lightly on her sides. Ginny arched her back off the bed as he tugged the light t-shirt up. He stopped abruptly when he had it halfway over her head, and she heard his breathing quicken. She grinned into the fabric and pulled the top the rest of the way off, looking up to find Harry staring with his mouth hanging slightly open, at her bare chest.

"You're – you're not – you're –" he stuttered, his hands hovering uncertainly above her.

When Ginny took his hands in hers and brought them down, she thought Harry might stop breathing. He simply sat still for a few moments, lightly touching her and exploring her sensitive skin, his eyes burning. Then he tore his eyes away and looked up, meeting her hungry gaze.

"You're brilliant," he whispered, before ducking his head and doing things with his mouth that made Ginny lightheaded.

Harry reluctantly slipped out of bed when the clock read a little before six. The thunderstorm had blown over, and the air inside her bedroom was thick and humid. He groped blindly for his shirt in the dim light, the muscles in his back flexing and working in a way that mesmerized Ginny. Somewhat breathlessly, she watched as he yanked the shirt over his head, the ghost of his tantalizing touch still warming her skin. He ran a hand through his hair absently, making it stand up on end. Ginny smiled indulgently.

They both froze as they heard a quiet cough coming from somewhere in the house.

"I'm sorry I have to go," Harry said sadly.

"I know," Ginny said quietly as she started searching for her top amongst the folds of her rumpled sheets. Finding it, she slipped it on, and looked up to see Harry staring at her, his eyes still glowing with heat. Before she could respond, smile, think; Harry toppled onto her again, kissing her with bruising intensity. Then he pulled away, panting slightly.

"So you don't forget me," he whispered. He hurried to her window, and Ginny saw the Firebolt leaning against the wall. He snagged the Invisibility Cloak, blew her a kiss, and disappeared. A moment later, her curtains parted and fell back together, and she knew he was gone.

She rolled onto her side and watched the sky grow lighter, her hand firmly wrapped around the necklace that represented Harry's love for her. She felt it grow warm in her palm, and she closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer to whatever deity was listening, to bring him back to her safely.

"Come back soon, Harry," she whispered to the dawn.


	3. Comfort from the Chill

**A/N: Harry Potter and his whole world belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her characters for a while.**

III. Comfort from the Chill

The atmosphere in Hogsmeade was strained, to say the least. Ginny wasn't quite sure why she'd bothered to come to the village at all, seeing as most of her friends had chosen to stay at the castle, claiming that Hogsmeade just didn't hold the same thrill for them anymore. She understood why they felt that way as she pulled her cloak closed and wrapped her arms around herself tightly, trying to keep out some of the late autumn chill. Hogsmeade was a warm butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks with Ron, Hermione and Harry. It was comparing Zonko's products to those of her brothers'. It was laughter and music and colorful window displays.

Or, rather, it had been.

Now Zonko's was closed, the street musicians had long abandoned their corners, and people didn't laugh as they walked up and down the remarkably cheerless streets. And Ron, Hermione and Harry hadn't been heard from in months.

She pushed that thought out of her head as she stood outside Honeydukes, looking at the uncharacteristically empty shop. She could go for some Chocolate Frogs, she decided.

But just as she turned for the door, she sensed the presence of someone behind her. She glanced at her reflection in the window, seeing nobody standing over her shoulder. Her fingers closed around her wand as she felt hot breath on her neck.

"Hello, Ginny," Harry whispered.

Ginny didn't move to acknowledge his presence. Instead, she dropped her hand to her side and extended her fingers, searching, waiting. After a moment, his hand slipped into hers, and she felt tears spring to her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat and she nearly sobbed when she said quietly, "Hello, Harry."

He squeezed her hand and stepped closer, pressing himself against her back. "Why are you here alone?" he asked gruffly. "There's a war going on, you know."

"You're alone," she said pointedly. "Aren't you?"

After a moment of silence, Harry sighed. Ginny shivered as his breath blew across the back of her neck, stirring the tiny hairs there. "No," he said at last. "Ron and Hermione are at the Hog's Head."

"Colin is at the Three Broomsticks," she responded.

"Fine," he breathed, moving closer still.

Ginny's breath caught in her throat again, and she felt lightheaded. She lifted a shaking hand to the amulet around her neck, feeling it heat against her skin. She leaned against him slightly, the heat spreading across her chest and down her abdomen.

"This way," he whispered, and Ginny caught the urgency in his voice. She felt his hand tug hers gently and she glanced around quickly before following him into the narrow space between Honeydukes and the building next to it. Once they were far removed from the street, and comfortably shadowed, Harry pinned her against Honeydukes, grabbing her thighs and lifting her. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he opened the Invisibility Cloak and draped it around them both.

"Harry," she exhaled, and he quickly waved his wand, casting a Silencing Charm. He leaned back for a moment, searching her face. She looked back in the soft light bleeding through the cloak, noticing a freshly healed gash across his left cheek. She reached up and touched it lightly, tracing her fingers along the jagged, pink mark.

"What happened?" she asked, her fingers trembling.

"Doesn't matter," he answered honestly. "I'm alright."

Ginny paused, wanting to argue, but decided it wasn't worth it, and nodded her head.

"Are you staying safe?" she asked, knowing he wasn't but wanting to hear the lie.

Harry didn't lie, though. He gave her a quirked half-smile. "As safe as one can be while trying to kill a Dark wizard."

Ginny let out a strangled laugh, continuing her exploration of his face. She ran her finger across his lips, feeling the slightly chapped roughness of them. Harry closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. Her fingers danced up his unblemished cheek, brushing against his glasses. She paused and pressed her fingers to his famous lightning bolt scar.

"Has it been hurting?" she asked.

"Not a twitch," Harry answered without opening his eyes. Ginny sighed, relieved that at least he was free of that burden for the time being. She brought her fingers back down to his lips, which parted slightly. As she rubbed her thumb across them, he kissed it tenderly.

"I've missed you," she whispered, closing her eyes against the renewed burn of tears. When she opened them again, she found Harry gazing at her intently.

"Me, too," he said, his eyes roving across her face. He stopped and focused on her jaw. "What's this bruise from?" he growled, touching it lightly.

Ginny wrinkled her brow for a moment, unable to think of anything that had happened before Harry, and this instant in time. A hundred years could have passed and she wouldn't have known. Vaguely, she recalled the shaft of a broom colliding with her face.

"Quidditch against Slytherin," she answered, a smirk on her lips.

Harry leaned forward. He rubbed his nose against hers and whispered, "I heard you were brilliant."

Ginny smiled and remembered the shocked expression on the face of the new Slytherin Seeker when she'd plucked the Snitch seemingly out of thin air as she lazily flew between the Gryffindor goals.

"Child's play," she murmured, leaning forward and at last capturing his lips hungrily. Harry let out a little pleased whimper and pressed her back until she was firmly pinned between the wall and his body. His hands now free, he parted her robes and lifted her skirt, which was trapped between them. "Right here?" she asked, somewhat shocked.

She felt rather than saw Harry blush. "Well, not _that_," he said somewhat reproachfully. "You know I wouldn't do that to you like this."

Feeling a little silly for even thinking it, Ginny struggled with his shirt, managing to untuck it and slip her hands up his bare back. She traced her fingernails lightly across his shoulders, which had seemed to have grown broader since she'd last seen him, and felt him shudder against her.

Harry pressed his hips into her and Ginny felt his reaction to her touch. She gasped slightly and dug her fingers into his back.

"Oh, you like that, did you?" he asked saucily.

Rendered speechless, Ginny made an affirmative noise in her throat. She smiled as he brought his lips down on hers again and parted her lips with his tongue. He continued to move against her in a way that made her whimper against his lips as he devoured her mouth. She felt lightheaded again. Every inch of her skin was tingling as Harry slowly undid the buttons to her top and let it fall open. His hands, hesitant at first, quickly remembered the touches that left her breathless. The combination of what he was doing with his hands, and the increasingly fabulous thing he was doing with his hips, was driving her out of her mind.

Suddenly Harry stopped, pulling back from her so quickly that she nearly fell. Panting, she wobbled on her legs, and asked plaintively, "Why'd you stop?"

Harry's face flushed flame red beneath the cloak. He quietly pointed his wand at himself and whispered, _"Scourgify."_

Ginny bit her lip, a smile quivering on her lips. "My turn, next time?" she said in a sultry tone.

Harry looked up, embarrassed, but Ginny didn't allow him to apologize before she attacked his lips again. Just as he leaned in against her, she heard Colin calling her name, sounding somewhat frightened.

"Damnit!" she swore, wanting to hex Colin into a thousand little bits. He called for her again, and Ginny looked out into the street, seeing him hurry by.

"I should go," she said mournfully. She saw the disappointment on Harry's face.

"I really just wanted to talk to you," he confessed, quietly buttoning her shirt. "I miss you." He finished buttoning and reached down to straighten her rumpled skirt. "I hate this," he whispered fiercely, almost to himself.

"I know," Ginny empathized. "Could you send me a bloody owl now and again? Just so I know…you know."

Harry frowned. "I'll try. We don't normally keep an owl with us, and sending and receiving messages with them could draw attention to us."

Unable to help herself, Ginny blurted out, "What is it you are doing out there, where ever you are?" Then she stopped him before he even started. "No, I know you can't tell me. Never mind."

Harry looked troubled. "I wish I _could _tell you," he sighed. "I hate not being able to talk to you about it."

"Yeah, well…" Ginny trailed off, not knowing what to tell him.

Colin's voice echoed down between the buildings.

"Just tell the whole village I'm missing, why don't you?" she grumbled. "I'd better…"

"I know," Harry sighed. "Be safe." He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, and then kissed her tenderly.

"And you…" she whispered. "Come back to me in one piece."

"I will," he promised, grimacing as they heard Colin asking other students if they'd seen Ginny.

Ginny gave Harry one more kiss and then ducked out from under the cloak. With a sigh, she began to walk back to the street, shivering as the cold air hit her. She felt Harry's hand press against her back.

"I love you," he whispered.

Ginny threw a longing glance over her shoulder. "I love you, too," she whispered, blinking her eyes rapidly. "Don't disappear on me, please."

Harry didn't respond but she knew he was still there.

Colin saw her as she stood outside the door to Honeydukes. "Where did you go?" he said, exasperated. "I thought you got grabbed."

"Never mind," Ginny sighed. "I'm here now. Are you ready to go back?"

As they trudged back to the castle, leaning into the gusting winds, Ginny knew that Harry was following behind, just out of reach. When they reached the gates, she paused for just a moment with her hand hanging at her side. She felt his fingers, ever so lightly, brush against hers. With a sigh, she passed the gates, looking back only twice at the now empty space behind her.


	4. A Christmas Promise

**A/N: Harry Potter and his whole world belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her characters for a while.**

IV. A Christmas Promise

Ginny looked up, startled, as the small bundle of feathers bumped against her window as she readied for bed on Christmas night. As she opened the window, a blast of cold air sent Pig tumbling head-over-talon into the room. He landed with a muffled thump on her bedroom floor, twittering weakly.

"Pig!" she exclaimed quietly, shutting her window again and kneeling next to the small bird, who was staggering around a bit as he regained his bearings. Grabbing a towel from her laundry, Ginny scooped up the owl and loosely wrapped him several times in its folds. After several minutes, the little bird seemed to warm a bit, because he struggled to free his leg from his wrappings. Before he could tangle himself even worse, Ginny stuck her hand down and gathered the damp scroll. With a happy hoot, Pig ducked down into the towel and appeared to fall asleep at once.

Setting him carefully on her bed, Ginny stared at the parchment, filled with dread. She hadn't seen Harry since that day right after Halloween, and hadn't heard anything from him since. She couldn't imagine them writing unless something was wrong, as so far they'd adhered to the 'no news is good news' adage.

The note was short and to the point.

_Will come for the bird at 1 a.m., tomorrow. Might also come to snog girlfriend. Will meet you in that place. You know which. _

_-H_

Tears pooling in her eyes, Ginny crushed the ragged parchment to her chest, letting out one quiet sob of relief. Harry was safe. Harry was _alive._

She spent most of Boxing Day holed up in her room, playing with Pig and Crookshanks, whose care Hermione had entrusted to Ginny. She listlessly stared out the window, fearing that she would see another owl, a snowy white one, approaching with another cryptic note calling off the meeting.

At last, the clock next to her bed read half past midnight, and Ginny glanced out the window at the snowy, dark night. She slipped on another jumper under her robes before donning her heaviest cloak. She kissed Pig's head and tucked him carefully into an inner pocket. Then, putting on a warm hat and scarf, she slipped from her room and down the steps, careful to hug the wall to avoid the parts of the stairs that creaked. Thankfully, the kitchen was empty at this time of night, and Ginny went out into the back garden, closing the door silently behind her.

She glanced at her watch as she came to the edge of the pond, which was frozen over. It was one minute until the hour. She looked around, but seeing only her own footprints in the snow, she leaned back against a tree and waited.

Despite her many layers, she began to shiver. A freezing breeze drifted across the pond, sending snow scuttling over the ice. She shifted, putting her gloved hands under her arms, hugging herself tightly. She knew several minutes had passed and she looked around again at the dark woods, wondering where Harry was.

Several more minutes passed and Ginny swore quietly to herself. She'd been certain that this was where he wanted to meet; this was where they'd come that first morning when Harry had come home to the Burrow, and where they snuck off to repeatedly in the week that followed.

"Harry, where are you?" she whispered between numb lips.

Only silence answered her. She strained her ears, listening for anything, for the sound of boots breaking snow, the rustle of a cloak, but heard only the whistle of the wind blowing through the trees, and the clack of bare tree limbs beating together.

Paranoia began to grip her. What if this was a trap, designed to get her out of the house and away from the protections of her family? After all, hadn't it been unusual for Harry to send an owl? Suddenly, she could picture a dozen Death Eaters creeping up on her slowly, closing in on all sides. Her breath quickened and she looked around again, sure she would see the flash of a black robe against the pristine, white night.

Hadn't that been why Harry had broken it off with her in the first place? Because being with him was dangerous, and made her a target? And what was she doing out here but proving him right? She closed her hand around her wand and began to back away from the pond.

And an arm went around her.

Her muffled scream echoed through the woods and she lurched forward, throwing her attacker off balance. She saw the indentation of snow where he landed with a loud "Oomph!" She whipped out her wand and was about to Stupefy her invisible attacker, when Harry's confused-looking face appeared out of thin air.

"It's me, Ginny!" Harry yelped, pulling the cloak away from his body.

Ginny gaped for a minute and then fell on top of him, kissing him wildly. Harry responded eagerly, bringing a cold hand up to touch her cheek. She sat up and punched him on the shoulder.

"Ow!" he hissed. "What was –"

"You scared me!" she yelled. "I thought you were a Death Eater!"

Harry looked perplexed. "I told you to meet me here. Why were you expecting a Death Eater?"

"You're late!" She pushed him away.

Harry fell back into the snow and, remarkably, started to laugh.

"It isn't funny!" She crossed her arms to pout, struggling to contain the smile that twitched across her lips. She squealed as Harry grabbed her wrists and pulled her down into the snow with him.

"Don't be mad at me," he whispered, his breath on her face. "I had to wait for Ron and Hermione to leave me alone. And then I had to fly all the way here."

"Are you nearby, then?"

"Not remotely," Harry sighed. "It took hours to get here. I'm frozen."

"Why on earth did you want to meet in the woods, anyway?" Ginny asked, brushing snow off his shoulder.

"Didn't want your family to catch me." He looked at her playfully. "Can I have another kiss to warm me up?"

Ginny laughed and leaned down, kissing his cold lips. "You're like ice! You prat!" She struggled to her feet and hauled him up after her. "We're going back to my room."

"Your parents?"

"Well, you've got a broom, haven't you? Nobody saw me sneak out. We'll just fly in the window," Ginny reasoned.

The short trip to the Burrow from the pond nearly froze her, and she didn't know how Harry had managed to spend hours enduring the chill. Even with Harry's arms wrapped tightly around her as she sat in front of him on the broom, Ginny was shaking by the time Harry brought the broom to a halt at her window. She fumbled a bit as she threw it open, and ducked as Harry flew directly in, landing silently right inside.

"Merlin's Balls!" she whispered. "It's bloody _cold_ out there!" She soundlessly shut and locked her window, and turned to Harry, who was moving stiffly and slowly, his fingers working uselessly as he attempted to undo his cloak.

Ginny shook her head, stepping forward to help him remove the stiff and icy cloak. His face was pale with splotches of red on his cheeks and his nose, and when Ginny took his hands in hers, they were like ice.

"You're half-frozen!"

"Three-quarters, I think," he joked breathlessly. Ginny bent to undo his boots, but Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her up again. He stared at her a moment, his green eyes sparkling. Then he leaned in and kissed her, hard.

Ginny sighed happily and kissed him in return, remembering the feel of his lips and the taste of his mouth.

"Happy Christmas," he breathed.

"Happy Christmas, Harry," she murmured, stroking his hair, which had grown longer and even more wild in the months since she'd seen him. The scar on his cheek had faded to a faint pink, still very visible against his flushed skin.

"Are you ever a sight for sore eyes." He tugged her hair loose of its holder, and arranged it on her shoulders, running his fingers through it, even though Ginny doubted he could actually feel the softness of it at the moment. Unexpectedly, his eyes looked bright with tears and he looked away, clearing his throat.

Ginny began to unbutton his robes and led him silently to her bed. Harry looked back at her, his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline.

"What?" Ginny asked innocently, pulling back the duvet and forcing him to sit.

He grinned at her goofily. She knelt and quickly divested him of his boots, and took his feet into her hands, rubbing them roughly.

"Ouch!" he grunted, his smile rueful now.

"Honestly, Harry," Ginny chided him lightly. "Hasn't anyone ever taught you a proper Heating Charm?"

"Too risky," he hissed through clenched teeth. "I only do magic when I have to. They have ways – _ouch_! – ways to trace me by my magic."

Ginny sat back on her heels and looked up at him, aghast.

"It's fine," he said quickly, rubbing his shoulders briskly.

The enormity of what he had gone through to be with her, what he had put himself through just to get here, stole her breath. "Harry…" she breathed, disbelievingly.

"It's fine," he repeated firmly. "I wanted to see you."

Ginny stood quickly and kissed him, trailing her lips across his face to his ear. "You're brilliant, you know," she whispered, tugging on his jumper.

He looked at her, his eyes hot, and that goofy grin back in place. He helped her remove the rest of his clothing, save his pants, which were made of a soft fabric with a pattern of golden snitches. With a smirk, Ginny tore her eyes away. Even as cold as he was, being undressed by his girlfriend had definitely perked him up. He reached for the button of her cloak, and she lightly smacked his hand. She waggled her finger in his face.

"Not so fast, Mr. Potter. Into bed with you now."

Harry gave a shuddering laugh, and shrugged his shoulders. He burrowed under the covers and turned onto his side, leaning on his elbow and looking at her with smoldering eyes. Ginny stepped back from the bed with a cheeky grin and turned her back on him. She glanced over her shoulder at him and undid her cloak, which billowed to the floor. Harry's eyes grew wider and Ginny bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

How she managed to remove two jumpers and her robes, and still look enticing, she had no idea, but by the time she stood, her back still to Harry, in just her jeans and her bra, she could hear him breathing heavily. She shot him a smile and wiggled out of her jeans, bending over to push them off her legs. Harry groaned quietly and Ginny grinned to herself before schooling her face and shooting him another sultry glance over her shoulder.

"Come here," he croaked, holding up the covers.

Ginny crossed to the bed, swinging her hips slightly. Harry grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him, and she felt the fruition of her efforts rubbing against her stomach. She smiled as he crushed his lips to hers. With a playful growl, he rolled them over, his chilled body pressing her into the mattress. He attacked her neck, biting it and trailing his tongue lightly along her jaw line.

Feeling very warm suddenly, Ginny gripped his hair in her hands and brought his face back to hers. He smiled at her through half-lidded eyes and kissed her again, running his tongue over her lips. Panting a little, Ginny opened her mouth and felt a small shock explode through her body as he deepened the kiss passionately. Abruptly, he pulled back and gazed at her with desire-clouded eyes, breathing heavily.

"I've missed you," he sighed, burying his face in her neck. Ginny felt whole for the first time in months.

"I know," she said, closing a fist around the amulet, which was caught between them. "It got so hot sometimes I thought it might burn me."

"Sorry," Harry apologized, sounding mortified.

"Don't be. It was nice to feel."

Harry didn't say anything; he just kept his face in her neck, taking deep breaths.

"Why did you stop?" Ginny asked after a moment.

Harry laughed against her, and she smiled as she felt it rumble against her chest. "I told you it was your turn next time."

"What – ?"

With a grin, Harry planted a firm kiss on her lips, then began to trail them down her chin and neck, and along her collar bone. He paused when his face was level with her chest, and he fingered the lacy bra wistfully. Reverently, he kissed along the edge of the fabric, toying with the straps. Then he glanced up at her nervously, and continued to kiss down her stomach, stopping to pay particular attention to her navel. Ginny couldn't breathe suddenly. Harry grinned at her wickedly again, and tossed the covers over his head, disappearing from view. Moments later, Harry was doing things with his mouth that left her breathless, speechless, and mindless. _Where in the bloody hell did he learn _that?

After the explosion that rocked her core and made her cover her face with a pillow as she tried to be quiet, Harry emerged from beneath the sheets. He pulled the pillow off her face and grinned at her with a self-satisfied look on his face.

"You are _amazing_," Ginny gasped, tilting her head up to kiss Harry on his swollen lips.

"I told you it was your turn next," he told her proudly. He collapsed on her, his body much warmer. He nuzzled her neck and grew quiet.

"I don't want to leave," he whispered.

"So soon?" she asked mournfully, running her fingers through his hair.

"Soon enough," he said sadly. "If I'm not back by dawn, Ron and Hermione will miss me."

Ginny nodded wordlessly. She knew perfectly well that neither would approve of these secret rendezvous, Hermione because of the danger, and Ron because he was her older brother.

"I have something for you," she said at last, struggling to stay awake.

"Hmm?" Harry asked sleepily.

"I've got something for you."

Harry opened one eye and looked at her. "You didn't," he protested.

"I did," she countered, easing out from under him.

He groaned in disappointment and made to grab for her but she sidestepped his swipe and dug into her cloak pockets. Pig gurgled happily at her and she pulled him out, aghast. "Oh, Pig! I'm so sorry." The little bird twittered and launched himself off her palm, settling himself on top of her wardrobe.

"That's animal abuse," Harry chuckled from the bed.

She retrieved the small box and hurried back to the bed, diving under the warm sheets. "Shut it, you. Do you want this or not?"

Harry looked uncomfortable. "Ginny, I –"

"Too busy saving the world to buy your girlfriend a present, Potter?" she asked drolly.

"Yeah?" he tried weakly.

Ginny grinned and kissed him quickly. "I think you already gave me my present."

Harry smirked.

"Besides," she continued more seriously. "This isn't a Christmas present." She handed him the box, and reluctantly, he accepted it. He gave it a gentle shake.

"It's a broom," he guessed. Ginny laughed lowly and shook her head.

"A dragon?"

"I love you, Harry Potter," she blurted, remembering her birthday. She couldn't believe he'd remembered her silly little guesses.

"I love you, Ginny Weasley," he said quietly.

"Open it," she whispered. He looked at her uncertainly and slowly opened the box. His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline again and he looked at her, speechless. He pulled the compass out of the box and held it up by its leather strap. He smiled wistfully.

"It'll always point you home," she explained, directing his gaze to the arrow that instead of pointing north, was currently pointing southwest, at her. "So you'll always come back to me."

"Thank you," Harry said thickly. "I love it." He sniffled slightly and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'll make good use of this."

"You better," she replied in a choked voice.

Harry sank back onto the bed, bringing Ginny with him. She rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. After a few minutes, she felt her heavy eyes struggle to close.

"Sleep," Harry said gently, rubbing her shoulder.

"You'll be gone when I wake up," she whimpered.

"But I'll be back. I promise."


	5. Finding The Way Home

**A/N: Harry Potter and his whole world belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her characters for a while.**

**This is the last chapter in my promised fluffy story. Please R/R and tell me what you thought!**

V. Finding the Way Home

Ginny circled the pitch lazily, her eyes scanning the overcast sky for a glint of gold. When she finally spotted it, she was tempted to look the other way and let the game go on. As long as she was in the air, and focused on finding that little golden ball, there was no room in her brain for any other thought.

But the Hufflepuff Seeker had noticed the Snitch as it circled around Madam Hooch, who was doing her absolute best to ignore it. Ginny leaned low and shot forward at the same time as the Hufflepuff, and Madam Hooch, at last able to acknowledge the tiny ball fluttering around her, dove low to get out of the way.

Ginny knew without a doubt that she would get to the Snitch first; after all, she was riding the latest version of the Firebolt, which Fred and George had given her in an attempt to cheer her up. Indeed, the Hufflepuff was still a dozen feet away when Ginny closed her fingers around the cool, metal ball. She felt no thrill at her victory, feeling the old terror awakening at the back of her mind.

She hadn't heard from Harry in over four months.

Every day, the _Daily Prophet_ would print the latest _Harry Potter Sightings_, and Ginny prayed that he wasn't really making himself that visible. Of course, the largest part of her didn't believe a word the _Prophet_ printed these days, as at least once a week they would report that this wizard or that had witnessed Harry Potter lying dead in a field, or going down while battling twenty Death Eaters. Then a few days later, they would print a small, quiet retraction on the back page, and Ginny would be able to breathe again.

The first time she'd seen one of those stories, she'd become hysterical over her morning cereal. It had taken three of her classmates to restrain her until McGonagall rushed down from the head table to escort her to the hospital wing. Remus Lupin himself had gone to speak with the so-called witness, only to discover that the person in question didn't exist at all. A little more searching on Remus' part had revealed the story to be a complete fabrication, which Ginny didn't really believe until she saw the retraction in the paper two days later.

Harry had promised he'd come back, and Ginny meant to hold him to that promise.

Her teammates crushed in around her, cheering gleefully as they floated down to the ground, where the rest of Gryffindor met them. She shouldered her broom and slipped away from the celebration, retreating to the quiet of the locker room.

When she emerged a short while later, showered and dressed in her regular robes, a light, misting rain had begun to fall. She smiled weakly at Colin, who was waiting for her outside the entrance to the pitch.

"Your appreciative public is looking for you," he grinned, pointing to crowd of younger witches talking with the rest of her teammates on the front lawn of the castle.

Ginny grimaced and began to make her way over to them when she heard a young girl cry, "Ooh, how pretty!" She glanced in the direction the small Gryffindor indicated.

Her breath caught in her throat as she spotted the silvery otter streaking across the grounds to the castle. The Patronus disappeared through the stone walls, and Ginny blindly threw her broom at Colin, taking off for the castle at a dead run. 

"Ginny!" Colin shouted after her. "What's going on?"

But she didn't know. All she knew was that was Hermione's Patronus, and it filled her with a sense of dread. She skidded to a halt in the Entrance Hall, not sure which way it had gone. She paused, filled with indecision. Who would Hermione call for in case of an emergency? Remus? Possibly. McGonagall was more likely, and Ginny charged up the steps, hoping that the headmistress was in her office. She made it to the third floor before she heard the shouting and pounding of several pairs of feet coming down the steps towards her. She stopped and waited, and in a moment, Professor McGonagall, Lupin and Tonks appeared, breathless and flustered.

Without a word, Ginny turned and followed them back down the stairs, determined to follow them wherever they went. She didn't think any of them were even aware of her presence as they rushed down the front lawn towards the main gates. As they cleared the castle boundary, however, Tonks turned to her.

"Wotcher, Ginny," she said, before grabbing her arm and spinning away from her.

Ginny was startled by the sudden Apparation, but quickly regained her bearings as they appeared in a destroyed graveyard, where the rain was pounding down. She looked around, horror struck. Here and there, jagged edges of destroyed marble headstones jutted out of the ground. The rain was washing away the blood that splattered several of them. She swayed a bit against Tonks as she saw a still, black robed figure lying broken on the ground, and then another, and yet another. She brought a shaky hand to her amulet and closed her fist around it. It flashed in her hand and glowed brighter than she'd ever seen it, burning her chest through her robes.

"Where? WHERE?" Remus shouted, looking around wildly. He began to run from body to body, looking at each face before moving on. Tonks gave Ginny's arm a quick squeeze and took the other side of the graveyard, repeating the same process.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, her eyes transfixed on a spot at the center of the destruction. Ginny followed her gaze and felt her heart stop.

Voldemort's eyes were rolled back in his head, his scaly, snakelike face frozen in a pained scream. His legs and arms were twisted at odd angles from his body, and – Ginny swallowed painfully – a fresh cut the shape of a lightening bolt was carved into his forehead.

"Oh God," she gasped, tearing her eyes away and running to the next nearest body, rolling it over.

Snape's lifeless eyes stared through her, unflinching at the raindrops pelting his face, and Ginny cried out, backpedaling away. She looked beyond him, and saw another figure, and crawled over. But she caught a glint of white-blond hair and turned away quickly, not wanting to know nor caring which Malfoy had fallen in the fight.

A hand closed on her arm and she looked up, her eyes wide. "He's not here!" she cried as Professor McGonagall lifted her to her feet.

"_Portus_," McGonagall said, tapping her wand on a Galleon before placing it in Ginny's hand.

"But – " Ginny began to protest, even as she felt the familiar tug at her navel. She crashed to the wet ground outside the Burrow, and stayed where she was, half of her body submerged in a particularly deep puddle. She rolled onto her back and blinked as heavy raindrops glanced off her face.

"GINNY!" she heard her mother scream as the back door banged open.

She felt hands pulling her upright, feeling over her body for injury. A hand closed on her chin and tilted her head up, and in a daze, she met her mother's frightened look.

"He wasn't there…" 

"Ginny?" Her mother waved a hand in front of her face. "_Ginny!_"

"He promised he'd come back to me," Ginny mumbled, looking through her mother.

"Oh, Merlin! ARTHUR! Come quickly!"

"He promised…"

There was a deafening pop and Ginny blinked, feeling a change in the air. Through the rain, she made out the blurry shapes of three slumped forms on the ground behind her mother.

She shoved her mother away and scrambled to her feet. One of the figures slowly sat up, and Ginny saw Hermione's wild mane of hair streaming down her back, soaked with rain.

"Over here!" Hermione croaked, struggling to stand up between the other two huddled figures. "Over here!" she cried again, her voice breaking.

How Ginny made it so quickly to Harry's slumped form, she didn't know; she could have flown and not known it. She knelt, rolling him onto his back and putting her ear to his chest, searching. She listened, growing increasingly terrified, until she heard it.

A faint beat, and then another. Ginny sobbed in relief.

Then ever so gently, she felt fingertips brush against her wrist, searching for her hand. Tears spilled from her eyes and blended with the raindrops melting into his ripped robes. She closed her hand around his, feeling a faint vibration in his fingers.

"You promised me you'd come back," Ginny whispered.

"I'm here," he answered faintly.

"Where did you go?" Ginny cried. "I was there – at the graveyard – but you weren't there!"

Harry mumbled something unintelligibly.

"_Where did you go?_" Ginny wept, kissing him through her tears. "I was so scared!"

"There were still Death Eaters fighting – after," Hermione gasped shakily, sinking back to the ground. "Ron – Harry…they're – I had to Apparate all of us. I've – I've never side-Apparated with anyone. I couldn't take them very far the first time."

"Ronnie?" her mother cried, splashing down next to Hermione.

Ron shielded his face weakly, mumbling something about the "bloody rain".

Ginny looked down at Harry, and noticed his other hand clenched tightly around an object. He lifted it to his chest and placed it there, his hand shakily reaching for Ginny. She bent lower, closing her eyes as his fingertips explored her face.

"So tired," Harry groaned, flinching as the raindrops hit his face. Ginny held a hand over his face, trying to shield it from the storm, and her eyes fell on the object on his chest: his compass, cracked and slightly charred, but the arrow still pointing back at her.

"You found your way home," Ginny said wonderingly, bending to kiss him tenderly.

Harry moved his lips weakly against hers, and then his hand went slack in hers.

"Harry?" Ginny whispered, terrified of his sudden silence. But his chest continued to rise and fall, and she could feel his pulse in his fingers. She leaned over him once more, determined to protect him from the rain, and anything else that threatened him ever again.

It was three days before Harry's eyes fluttered open again. Ginny made sure she was the first thing he saw.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," she greeted.

He smiled sleepily. "C'mere," he yawned, holding out a steady hand.

Pleased to oblige, Ginny kicked off her sandals and slid into the bed next to him.

Harry wrapped his arms around her and nestled his face against her chest. He hummed happily as Ginny snuggled in next to him, one hand automatically going to his hair.

"How did I get here?" he asked after a moment.

"Hermione brought the three of you back. You don't remember?"

"The last thing I remember is Voldemort falling down. Then everything is really hazy." He traced her fingers with his, sending a ticking sensation running up her arm. "Was it raining when I got here?"

"Pouring," Ginny affirmed.

"And you were here. Why weren't you at school?"

"Doesn't matter," she whispered. "You found your way home; that's all that counts."

Harry was quiet for so long, Ginny thought he'd drifted back to sleep. "I never want to leave again," he said at last.

"Then don't."

"Alright," he said, leaning in to kiss her. His lips brushed against hers hesitantly at first, slowly tracing the rise and fall of her lips. "I won't."

She smiled, feeling his hands start to wander down her body. "Isn't it your turn?" she said teasingly.

Harry made a pleased noise in his throat. "How about we take a turn together?" he suggested.

Ginny grinned against his lips. "You've been waiting to use that, haven't you?"

He laughed quietly. "Guilty as charged," he confessed, rolling her head to the side so he could follow the line of her jaw back to her ear with his mouth.

"Are you sure you're up for that right now?" Ginny asked, snaking a hand up his shirt, tracing small circles on his chest.

Harry suppressed a snort and pressed his body against hers, and Ginny understood what was so funny. He appeared to, indeed, be up for it. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the door, which clicked quietly as the lock engaged.

Harry grinned goofily and repositioned himself over her, covering her body with his. In between kisses, he sleepily said, "You're brilliant."

"You keep saying that," Ginny chuckled, twisting her fingers through his nearly shoulder-length locks.

"I mean it," he murmured, nibbling lightly on her neck. His hands tugged at her shirt, and she slipped it up over her head, smiling at Harry.

"Red…" Harry said, awed, staring at the barely-there, lacy red bra she was wearing. "Brilliant," he repeated, sounding much more awake.

She giggled nervously and reached for the hem of his shirt. Harry leaned it to kiss her, and she felt his fingers brush against hers as he pulled his t-shirt up. There was a mad rush of fabric, and the shirt disappeared. She got a glimpse of it as it hit a far wall, and then Harry filled her sight again.

"Wow," Ginny whispered. Harry snorted and fell upon her again, and his bare chest burned hot against her skin. His fingers trembled slightly as he hovered over her bra. Ginny jumped slightly as she felt the clasp in the back give way; she hadn't even felt Harry slide his hand under her back.

Almost reverently, Harry slid the straps off her shoulders, and Ginny caught a flash of red as her undergarment joined Harry's shirt in the corner of the room.

"You're getting good at that," Ginny joked, enjoying Harry's hot gaze as it roamed up and down her body. She slid her hand between them, feeling for the waistband of Harry's pajama bottoms. He reached down and his hand closed around her fingers, giving them a quick squeeze.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She grew still, looking into the depths of his green eyes, which were glassy with desire. A faint wrinkle of concern marred his forehead and he bit his lip. She could practically _hear_ his thoughts, begging her to say she was sure, asking her to tell him that this was alright, that the time for waiting was over and they could start living without the fear of death and pain looming just over their shoulders.

Or maybe that was what she needed him to say to her.

After a minute of silent contemplation, Ginny tilted her head and captured Harry's mouth with her shaky lips.

"I'm always sure, with you," she answered. The look of joy on his face almost undid her, and he laughed, his eyes lighting with anticipation.

And the moment came, a short while later, and his eyes locked with hers.

Harry was gentle, and hesitant, and he bit his lip when she squirmed at the pain. "I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing a tear off her cheek.

"It's good," she gasped, clinging to him, waiting for the wave of fire to recede. He waited until she moved against him, and she nodded.

He started again, and Ginny continued to cling to him, wanting to be as close as she could to him. She felt like he was consuming her, and a warm feeling overtook her body. He whispered incoherently in between kisses, telling her she was lovely, she was amazing, and he loved her and wanted to be with her forever. She felt him shaking, his breath coming in choked gasps, and he pressed his lips against hers.

Afterwards, he slowly sank onto her, trembling. "I love you," he choked again, taking great heaving breaths against her neck.

"I love you, too," she replied, wrapping her trembling legs around his hips, wincing a bit as her muscles stretched.

They clung to each other in silence. Ginny synchronized her breathing with his as it grew slower and steadier. Harry gave a great sigh; his sweat slicked skin slid against hers.

"Harry…"

Harry grunted in response, his body growing slack against hers.

"Harry?"

She turned her head to look at him and grinned ruefully. He'd gone back to sleep. If he hadn't just defeated a Dark lord, she might have been offended.

But instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. His skin touched her skin; all over her body she tingled. His soft inhales and exhales brushed against her neck and she listened to the impossibility of his sleeping breaths, when she'd feared she would never hear them again. Careful not to disturb him, she brought her hands up around him and began to touch his arms, his back, any part of him she could reach, relearning the feel of his body.

The amulet grew warm between them, and Harry began to stir from his doze. Ginny shushed him as he shifted, helping him roll off her, and holding still as he snuggled up to her side, drawing her closer to him.

Exhausted from her three day bedside vigil, Ginny felt her eyes droop heavily. She relaxed against Harry, letting them shut. She knew when she woke up, that he would still be beside her, be it tomorrow, or the day after, or a hundred years from now.

She knew, no matter what, that Harry would always come back to her, in the end.


End file.
